Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Los Ángeles Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Los Ángeles

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,099 in Los Ángeles, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,649 in Los Ángeles, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,200 in Los Ángeles, rent included.

Medellin is about 9% cheaper than Los Ángeles, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Los Ángeles are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Los Ángeles 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$8.80 CLP 8,187

-32.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$44.26 CLP 41.2K

-25.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.81 CLP 7,269

-4.87%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.75 CLP 2,561

-40.00%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.31 CLP 1,219

-16.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$1.06 CLP 989

-26.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$3.15 CLP 2,931

-45.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$4.13 CLP 3,847

-23.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.19 CLP 1,107

-7.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.53 CLP 1,421

-17.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.89 CLP 1,755

-26.98%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$3.57 CLP 3,325

-38.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$10.62 CLP 9,880

-57.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.85 CLP 6,374

-15.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$10.82 CLP 10.1K

-17.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.91 CLP 1,773

21.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.50 CLP 1,398

-29.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.55 CLP 1,440

-1.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.51 CLP 1,404

-9.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.24 CLP 1,153

-8.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.42 CLP 1,322

-17.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.20 CLP 1,120

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.22 CLP 1,135

-26.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$5.40 CLP 5,026

-58.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$5.88 CLP 5,476

106.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.59 CLP 1,484

-25.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.31 CLP 2,149

7.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.58 CLP 540

46.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.48 CLP 444

195.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.44 CLP 1,337

-31.25%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$19.2K CLP 17.8M

-8.20%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$21.0K CLP 19.6M

27.47%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$134 CLP 124.4K

-37.93%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$13.70 CLP 12.7K

-29.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$22.38 CLP 20.8K

5.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$38.41 CLP 35.7K

-34.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$21.13 CLP 19.7K

-9.61%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.57 CLP 5,181

-29.08%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$316 COP 994.2K

$439 CLP 408.8K

-28.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$51.5 CLP 48.0K

16.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$29.83 CLP 27.8K

6.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$62.5 CLP 58.1K

62.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$81.8 CLP 76.1K

31.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$474 CLP 441.3K

0.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$369 CLP 343.1K

1.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$896 CLP 833.8K

-5.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$588 CLP 547.0K

22.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.18

159.27%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Los Ángeles: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $474 in Los Ángeles. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $44.00 in Los Ángeles. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $230 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Los Ángeles: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Los Ángeles costs about 10% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,648 in Los Ángeles. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $44.00 in Los Ángeles. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Los Ángeles, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Los Ángeles at $1,099. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Los Ángeles it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,003 versus $1,099 in Los Ángeles. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Los Ángeles makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.